Hearing assistance device that uses one or more sensors to autonomously change a power mode of the device

Abstract

A device is discussed, such as the hearing assistance device itself and/or an electrical charger cooperating with the hearing assistance device. The device can have one or more accelerometers and a power control module to receive input data indicating a change in acceleration of the device over time from the one or more accelerometers in order to make a determination to autonomously change a power mode for the hearing assistance device based on at least whether the power control module senses movement of the hearing assistance device as indicated by the accelerometers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus, comprising:
 a hearing assistance device having one or more accelerometers and a user interface configured to receive input data from the one or more accelerometers from user actions as sensed by the accelerometers to cause control signals to trigger a mode change for the hearing assistance device, and 
 where a control module for the user interface is configured that after the hearing assistance device is powered on, then the control module uses signals from the accelerometers in order to eliminate undesired feedback, at least, when inserting the hearing assistance device into the user's ear. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the hearing assistance device is configured to use an algorithm that takes in signals from the accelerometers to turn off the device when stationary on a flat surface, which has a beneficial effect of eliminating audio feedback. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the hearing assistance device is an open-ear-canal hearing aid that includes i) an electronics portion to assist in amplifying sound for the user's ear and ii) a securing mechanism that has a flexible compressible mechanism connected to the electronics containing portion, where the flexible compressible mechanism is permeable to both airflow and sound to maintain an open ear canal throughout the securing mechanism. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the hearing assistance device further includes the accelerometers, a microphone, the control module with a digital signal processor, and a battery, where the control module is configured i) to use an input indicating a change in acceleration sensed by the accelerometers as well as ii) to use input data from one or more additional sensors including at least the microphone, where the hearing assistance device is configured to use a sensor combination of the input from the accelerometers and the input data from the microphone with the digital signal processor in order to convert these inputs into autonomous program changes for the hearing assistance device. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the hearing assistance device is configured to use the accelerometers coupled to a signal processor to use signals from the one or more accelerometers into its determination of both i) whether the hearing assistance device is moving, as indicated by a change of acceleration of the hearing assistance device, and ii) whether the hearing assistance device is installed in the user's ear as indicated at least by an evaluation of a gravity vector coming out of the accelerometers. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the one or more accelerometers and the control module are configured to receive input data indicating a change in acceleration of the hearing assistance device over time from the one or more accelerometers in order to make a determination to autonomously trigger the mode of the device based on whether the control module senses movement of the hearing assistance device as indicated by the accelerometers. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the hearing assistance device is configured to track an insertion state of the hearing assistance device in the user's ear by detecting no change in an orientation of the hearing assistance device after sensing a movement indicative of inserting the hearing assistance device. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the hearing assistance device is configured to track an insertion state of the hearing assistance device in the user's ear by vector data input from the accelerometers, and audio input from a microphone, and the control module, where the hearing assistance device is configured to combine the vector data input from the accelerometers in addition to the audio input from the microphone to determine the insertion state of the hearing assistance device in the user's ear. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the control module is configured to cooperate with the accelerometers to detect and register when a user removes the hearing assistance device from the user's ear, via a pattern of vectors coming from the accelerometers, where signals from the accelerometer are used to detect both a gravity vector and an output from the accelerometer indicative of movement of the hearing assistance device. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the hearing assistance device is configured to contain a wireless communication module to cooperate via the wireless communication module with a partner application resident in a memory of a smart mobile computing device. 
     
     
       11. A method for a hearing assistance device, comprising:
 configuring the hearing assistance device having one or more accelerometers and a user interface to receive input data from the one or more accelerometers from user actions as sensed by the accelerometers to cause control signals to trigger a mode change for the hearing assistance device; and 
 configuring a control module for the user interface that after the hearing assistance device is powered on, then the control module uses signals from the accelerometers in order to eliminate undesired feedback, at least, when inserting the hearing assistance device into the user's ear. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 configuring the hearing assistance device to use an algorithm that takes in signals from the accelerometers to turn off the device when stationary on a flat surface, which has a beneficial effect of eliminating audio feedback. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 configuring the hearing assistance device to be an open-ear-canal hearing aid that includes i) an electronics portion to assist in amplifying sound for the user's ear and ii) a securing mechanism that has a flexible compressible mechanism connected to the electronics containing portion, where the flexible compressible mechanism is permeable to both airflow and sound to maintain an open ear canal throughout the securing mechanism. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , where the hearing assistance device further includes the accelerometers, a microphone, the control module with a digital signal processor, and a battery;
 configuring the control module i) to use an input indicating a change in acceleration sensed by the accelerometers as well as ii) to use input data from one or more additional sensors including at least the microphone; and 
 configuring the hearing assistance device to use a sensor combination of the input from the accelerometers and the input data from the microphone with the digital signal processor in order to convert these inputs into autonomous program changes for the hearing assistance device. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 configuring the hearing assistance device to use the accelerometers coupled to a signal processor to use signals from the one or more accelerometers into its determination of both i) whether the hearing assistance device is moving, as indicated by a change of acceleration of the hearing assistance device, and ii) whether the hearing assistance device is installed in the user's ear as indicated at least by an evaluation of a gravity vector coming out of the accelerometers. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 configuring the one or more accelerometers and the control module to receive input data indicating a change in acceleration of the hearing assistance device over time from the one or more accelerometers in order to make a determination to autonomously trigger the mode of the device based on whether the control module senses movement of the hearing assistance device as indicated by the accelerometers. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 configuring the hearing assistance device to track an insertion state of the hearing assistance device in the user's ear by detecting no change in an orientation of the hearing assistance device after sensing a movement indicative of inserting the hearing assistance device. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 configuring the hearing assistance device to track an insertion state of the hearing assistance device in the user's ear by vector data input from the accelerometers, and audio input from a microphone, and the control module, where the hearing assistance device is configured to combine the vector data input from the accelerometers in addition to the audio input from the microphone to determine the insertion state of the hearing assistance device in the user's ear. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 configuring the control module to cooperate with the accelerometers to detect and register when a user removes the hearing assistance device from the user's ear, via a pattern of vectors coming from the accelerometers, where signals from the accelerometer are used to detect both a gravity vector and an output from the accelerometer indicative of movement of the hearing assistance device. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 configuring the hearing assistance device to contain a wireless communication module to cooperate via the wireless communication module with a partner application resident in a memory of a smart mobile computing device.